The Poor Gentleman

"The Poor Gentleman" by Hendrik Conscience is a story set in the middle of the 1800's about a man named Monsieur De Vlierbeck, who seems like a proper, upstanding man but is actually dealing with a lot of problems with money and his great affection for his daughter, Lenora. The story shows how people acted in society based on what class they were in and what they had, and how people had to give up things for themselves, and the difficulties of being poor, all mixed with doing anything for love and family responsibilities. The book starts by showing De Vlierbeck riding in an old carriage, which shows both how important he is in society and how much trouble he's really in financially. When he talks to people, especially those who treat him with respect, he acts very friendly, even though it's hard for him, to maintain his image and relationships. Later we see him asking a notary for financial help and understand just how bad his situation is, something he is going through to make his daughter happy. The start of this story shows how much someone is willing to give up for someone else, what society expects of people, and how far a father will go to keep his child from shame. We understand his challenges and feel the strong feelings that will be a part of the story.